Olympian Heather Mitts, “Tenet” star John David Washington and the Real Housewives of Orange County all have one thing in common — their diet was carefully crafted by celebrity chef Alexander Fioroni. Through his work as The Nutrition Chef, Fioroni has put his 20-plus years of experience to good use helping Southlake-area residents realize their health goals.
But he isn’t the only nutritional expert in the area — New Way Nutrition dietician Ann Swanson and Dr. Sue Williams have been in Southlake and Grapevine just as long, and they’ve been equally committed to helping people adopt healthier eating habits every day. As everybody turns to a new year, these nutritional experts have a few pieces of advice to bring positive change into people’s lives, one meal at a time.
Stay Hydrated
Before you even get to what food to consume, you actually have to start with what liquids you put into your body. Chef Alex says the average person should drink around eight glasses of water every day.
“A lot of the time we think we’re hungry, but our body is actually really thirsty,” chef Alex says. “When someone drinks a good amount of water and waits 10-20 minutes, 99% of them aren’t hungry anymore. When you drink water to satiate, soothe and hydrate your body, you tend to make different decisions.”
Eat Smaller And More Often
Many times when people begin new eating habits, they have a misconception that you have to consume less. Chef Alex says otherwise. For his clients, he recommends eating 5-7 smaller meals every 2-3 hours per day. Even if they’re eating food that’s outside of their diet during a cheat day, eating smaller amounts of food more frequently helps your digestive tract process and break down food easier.
“When a baby is born, they’re eating 2-3 hours because that’s how their body works,” chef Alex says. “Our bodies are the same way. The only reason we change our schedule is because work and school usually gets in the way of that rhythm.”
Chef Alex says people can lose half a pound a week just by eating differently — and that doesn’t even include working out.
“For a recommended 1,300-2,000 calorie diet, I would suggest that people break up their meals between 250-500 calories,” chef Alex says. “Your mini-meals should be about half the calories as your main meals.”
More Meat And Fat
When it comes to meat consumption, chef Alex recommends a hearty amount of chicken and fish for most people’s diets. But that doesn’t mean you have to cut beef entirely out of your life. Leaner cuts like flank, sirloin and strip steak can fulfill your carnivorous cravings while still maintaining your regular nutrition.
But protein is only half of the equation. Chef Alex says that fat found in high-quality sources like olive oil, avocados and eggs are also essential when it comes to your food consumption.
“Fat is so good for the body, but it has to come from the right kind of fat,” chef Alex says. “That’s why raw nuts are so good for you, because they’re high in good fats, fiber and protein.”
Organic Alternatives
When it comes to adopting new habits, most nutritionists recommend going organic when planning and preparing meals. Ann says you should always focus on the quality of food first.
“Foods full of nutrients and low in added preservatives and chemicals are your best choice,” Ann says. “When you learn how foods or individual nutrients work for your unique needs, it is less tempting to eat those things that work against you.”
However it doesn’t mean you’re stuck with eating only salads and quinoa. Local grocers like Sprouts, Central Market and Trader Joe’s offer a wide selection of organic products along their aisles, while pizza places like Taverna Rossa and Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine can cut even more carbs with their cauliflower crusts. And even though HG Sply Co.’s dairy-free vegan queso is made with cashew and coconut milk, the flavor is all there.
Consume The Carbs
Some people think that they need to eliminate carbohydrates to be healthier, but chef Alex says that isn’t the case.
“Carbohydrates are what gives us energy,” chef Alex says. “Our brain alone needs about 30 grams of carbohydrates just to function for one hour. It’s not the lack of carbohydrates, but rather the source of carbohydrates that you’re using. Some of the carbohydrates that people are eating on a daily basis are just the wrong kinds of carbohydrates.”
Small changes like replacing white rice with cauliflower rice or regular potatoes with sweet potatoes can leave a larger impact on your body. And replacing potato chips with carrot chips and ice cream with Greek yogurt can make even larger dents in your belt size.
Use Natural Sweeteners
But meat and carbs aren’t the only calorie culprits — sweets can also potentially pull people away from their New Year's resolutions. Thankfully, there are ways to work around your sweet tooth by using natural sweeteners for your desserts.
DessertsRx Organic Cafe is one local shop that only uses clean ingredients for its offerings. From its brownies and fudge to noCheesecake Jars, all of DessertsRx’s products are naturally sweetened with blue spirulina and Lakanto monk fruit sweetener. And when it comes to Dr. Sue’s chocolate in Grapevine, she sweetens her treats with dried fruit and organic honey.
“When you enjoy something that’s rich, sweet and decadent, make sure you’re choosing something real and natural, something that you’re going to feel good about eating,” Dr. Sue says. “The closer we can stay to natural sweeteners, the easier your body will be able to process and utilize nutrition.”
The Dark Side Of Chocolate
There’s a reason why Dr. Sue focuses specifically on dark chocolate at her shop. Not only does it have the least sugar and fat amongst the rest of chocolates — it also contains the highest percentage of cacao beans, making it the healthiest option among most chocolate offerings.
“[It’s] extremely high in antioxidants,” Dr. Sue says. “It’s got that big, rich flavor that’s more satisfying to the palate, and it’s going to give you that intrinsic richness that stays with you longer.”
Eliminate The Alcohol
One of the worst things you can do to your body during your weight loss journey is consuming alcohol, chef Alex says. Regardless of whether it’s a bottle of beer or a glass of wine, alcohol can have a bigger impact on your health than even sugar or carbohydrates.
“Alcohol kills all of the vitamins that someone puts into their body,” chef Alex says. “It puts so much stress on your liver, and your liver is already struggling because of the extra fat in your body. Your body ends up attacking itself because you’re forcing it to process something it isn’t meant to.”
Thankfully, there are some fun substitutes available that will give you a similar taste without the detrimental effects of alcohol. Brands like Nonsecco and Lyre’s provide the same taste and finish of sparkling wine and malt liquor, and several non-alcoholic beer brands are also available in Athletic Brewing Co., Lagunitas and Heineken.
“At the end of the day, it’s more of a social experience than anything else,” chef Alex says. “We all love to socialize and grab a drink with each other. You don’t have to choose between one and the other.”
Enjoy Your Food
However you approach your meal planning, one thing that nutritionists emphasize the most is to enjoy what you’re eating. Chef Alex says weight loss isn’t just about the food you eat — it’s about the psychology behind it as well.
“The big problem with food psychology is that people aren’t enjoying what they’re eating,” chef Alex says. “They’ll start off strong at first, but within six weeks, they will go back to their old habits if they’re not enjoying it.”
Ann emphasizes that you shouldn’t feel bad about eating something you enjoy.
“Eating is not cheating,” Ann says. “Changing too much, too fast is one of the biggest barriers to making long-term, sustainable changes. I see greater success emphasizing what you are already doing well, focusing more on what you need to add rather than what you need to remove from your diet.”